A reflection from Ellie Lamb:

I had just come in from walking up and down my street with my walker and was feeling quite pleased with myself and thankful that I can still move around. Then I went into the kitchen, looked out the window and saw the hummingbird at the feeder. It is so small, and moves so fast. Hard to believe that inside that tiny body are some of the same things that are in my body. We are both alive and can move. What an incredible creation!!! Thank you, God, for this world with creatures my size and hummingbirds, too.

A reflection from Betsy Barrett:

I grew up attending the First Christian Church in a small town in Mississippi. We were very active in the church, but I just didn’t feel the love. After leaving home, I did not attend church regularly for more than 20 years. When Fr. Rob married Pat and me in 1993, he asked us to come to church. We did, felt very welcome at St. Paul’s and became members. I had a lot to learn about being an Episcopalian and the Episcopal doctrine, but I immediately felt this is where I belonged. My faith in God became more complete. I learned to love all aspects of the church and felt spiritually at home - much more than I ever did growing up. I love that we include a gospel lesson at every service, that we focus on Jesus Christ in our liturgy, and that we are welcoming to everyone.

Because of my love for St. Paul’s, I wanted to give back. I became involved in many church activities and realized that as I gave of myself, I became closer to God and Jesus Christ, a more committed Christian and better person.

A reflection from David Littrell:

I was assigned to be the lector on May 26, and I did my usual preparation by reading from Blakley’s guide to the lectionary. I had a profoundly moving spiritual experience as I prepared. The reading was Isaiah 6:1-8, where Isaiah sees the Lord on his throne surrounded by seraphim.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah responds, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed, and your sin is blotted out.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

I was overwhelmed once again by the majesty of God and my unworthiness in his presence without the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It behooves everyone to have a rock bottom experience where one understands without a doubt that “No one is righteous. No, not one,” the passage in Romans 3 where Paul alludes to Psalm 14. Sin separates us from God, which is why it is so terrible. We all know that we will continue to sin while in this mortal body, but we don’t have to continue purposely sinning, which is rebellion against God and the Scriptures that he gave us. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 15:57) Forgiven of our sins, we can then continue each day of our life in service to God and others and say, “Here I am; send me!”

A reflection from Mike Sexton:

My journey started back in February when a small infection developed on my left hip replacement incision. When Dr McAtee went to remove the infection, he found it went all the way to my artificial hip. Two weeks later, my artificial hip was removed, an antibiotic spacer was put in to act as my hip, and I was put on IV antibiotics, twice a day, for six weeks. During those six weeks, I was living in Bramlage House at Meadowlark, where I felt God was with me because I experienced an outpouring of love and concern from so many people. I received so many cards and letters which lifted my spirits every time I looked at them. On top of that, I had visitors everyday! Sometimes more than one at a time! It was great!! I could feel God's love and warmth emanating from all the people who sent cards, visited or called. On June 19th my 5th hip replacement was installed. I know God is present because I haven't had any problems with the surgery. I am blessed to have such a loving God and so many great people who support me.

A reflection from Kate Moore:

A Manhattan native, a cradle Catholic, a Luckey High graduate, and a convert to the Episcopal Communion: I made a leap from my sinking ship to the safety of a sturdy, comfortable lifeboat. It wasn’t any single big thing. It began when I was a junior at LHS, with a combination of small disillusionments lying mostly dormant at the back of my mind, ignored, brushed aside, poking me occasionally, but mostly lost to the everyday busyness of life. Finally, though, circumstances forced me to recognize that I had to make a change or lose my self-respect, and I started church shopping, in spite of a lifetime of being told that church shopping should be avoided.

When I first came to Mass one Sunday at Saint Paul’s, I was surprised at how immediately I felt at home. Continued reading, study, and discussions with Father Tom brought me to the conclusion that this was the place for me where I was dealing with the same theology I had been taught, but in a better institution, with a better interpretation and communication of that theology. It was a wonderful leap.

A reflection from Deb Lamb:

I feel closer to God and in His presence when I am outside marveling at all things in nature. I am most in awe of sights and sounds. For example: a glorious sunrise (which I don’t see very often), a beautiful sunset, the reflection of the moon shining on the sea, and the beautiful hues of blue in the sky, the whisper of the cottonwood trees, songbirds singing in the morning and seeing the fireflies at night. I feel the peace of God’s presence when I can walk through a garden of beautiful flowers and take in the vivid purples, yellows, pinks, blues, and greens. I thank God every day for being able to be a part of and witness to His glorious Kingdom.

A reflection from Nikki Strope:

Every Thursday morning I volunteer at a memory care unit at Meadowlark. With four to ten mostly women, we sing, chat, try to remember and giggle a lot. One Thursday, we were particularly rambunctious when one smiling woman broke into the conversation: “With my bad ears, I can hardly hear what you all are saying, but it sure makes me happy to see you laughing.” Although she probably didn’t remember this ten minutes later, l will certainly remember: one brief moment of joy for me and my neighbor!

A reflection from Charles Pearce, Deacon Emertius:

Over the years, both before and after my ordination to the diaconate, I think one thing that has helped me grow spiritually is something we all have access to: The Book of Common Prayer (1979).

Our current BCP is both a traditional, and yet, a living document. One change from the 1928 version that I readily adapted to is the emphasis on the Holy Eucharist for Sunday services. The Episcopal Church I grew up in had Communion once a month and the rest of the time Sunday services were Morning Prayer. But, I now find comfort in the weekly celebration of the Holy Eucharist and find its now very familiar words a source of spiritual rest and restoration. And, when I read these familiar words and hear them recited, I often notice something thought provoking and inspiring, and draw a new understanding from these Holy words.

A reflection from Eleanor Blaker:

Every morning when I wake up, I thank God for seeing me safely through the night, and then I naturally begin an inventory of gratefulness: I am thankful for the beautiful day, I am thankful for my two very helpful daughters, both of whom will surely check in on me today, and I am thankful for friends who are also willingly available. Certainly I am always grateful for my relatively good health. These regular practices of gratitude bring me closer to God and remind me of how much my family and friends, my neighbors, mean to me. With gratitude, I grow in my love of God and my neighbor.

A reflection from Art Loub:

During the Great Depression, my father lost his job, and we had little money, so my allowance was 20 cents a week. Of that, I had to put 5 cents in my Sunday School envelope. This procedure of mine has endured and grown over the years, because I treat my obligation as an ongoing investment in my spiritual support. Contributing to the church should be a planned ahead forethought not an afterthought, like putting a couple of bucks in the plate on Sunday.

A reflection from Steve Bartle:

I was asked to describe a “Big event” or a “Moment of awe” that enhanced my love of God. Thinking about it, the event that has the biggest impact was being born into the family of my parents, Marvin and Rose Bartle. God was and is just part of the family and of everyday life. Maybe there are 3 “understandings'' that have grown my relationship with God and guided my life. 1) God created the heavens, the earth, and me and all the earthly things that are important to me. I should have an attitude of thanks and gratitude, and take seriously Love Your Neighbor. 2) God is all powerful and created at the start. If He wants to be three persons, raise people from the dead, be present in the wine . . . . He can. 3) The third understanding is summarized with a short story of an old farmer and young farmer. The old farmer says to the young farmer “Always pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoe’n.”

A reflection from Eric Cattell:

Nine weeks ago, I was taking my bike ride on the steeper streets in northwest Manhattan when I started feeling faint and stopped to rest. However, I passed out before I got all the way off my bike. Within a minute or two, a retired nurse who took my vitals said my pulse was irregular, and she insisted on driving me and my bike home.

This resulted in a series of appointments and cardiac tests that revealed an irregularity necessitating heart catheterization to more accurately identify the issue. That test revealed that my right coronary artery was 98% blocked and the left artery has some minor plaque, so they immediately performed angioplasty and inserted a stent. I spent one night in the hospital and went home the next day. The medical staff said my exercise routine of frequent walking and biking likely resulted in some minor arteries compensating for the blockage, thus avoiding a heart attack.

I believe that the Lord was watching over me that day on my bike ride, sending a guardian angel nurse, and prompting me to get tested. If I hadn’t had that fainting incident, I never would have gotten tested.

A reflection from Mother Margaret:

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a sermon about the importance of sabbath time. While I was writing, I thought about how I use my own time. Sabbath is hard, and for me at least, technology doesn’t help.

My phone tracks how much time I spend on it. Yours probably does too. If you’re a smart phone user and you’re feeling very brave, take a look at your usage statistics. Over the past few weeks, on my worst day, my time on my phone added up to almost thirteen hours. My best days are about five hours. Some of that time is well spent: reading the news, answering email, keeping track of my to do list, using a daily prayer app. But a lot of the time isn’t so well spent—just mindless scrolling. I don’t read nearly as many books as I used to. I don’t spend much time just sitting and staring out of the window. If I’m waiting in line, I pull out my phone without much thought.

I’m now challenging myself to pay more attention to how and when I use technology, and I’m looking for opportunities for true sabbath time.

A reflection from Rachel Van Wingen:

There have been many moments when I was convinced that God was with me. This was one.

My sister had been under hospice care at her home for over a year. Her disease had left her totally dependent on others, and she could no longer communicate. I had moved back to Kansas to be near and to help where I could.

One day her daughter called and said she was nearing the end. I was two hours away and told her I would not attempt to get back in time. But I prayed, “God, please send an angel to guide her way.” A few minutes later, the daughter texted that she had peacefully slipped away. Amen.

A reflection from Connie Cattell:

When I was a young girl, I noticed that my grandmother always wore a silver cross necklace. Actually, she had more than one cross necklace, and my mother eventually gave them to me. My favorite was a small gold one that I wear 95% of the time. My freshman year of college my psychology professor asked me if I wore it for fashion. I simply answered that I wore it because I was a Christian.

However, I also wear a cross because there are times that I need to “touch” my faith. I find myself reaching for it and holding it in times of anxiety and worry. It brings me comfort, calms me, and reminds me of my mother and grandmother’s strong faiths as I continue their legacy. My cross reminds me that Christ is always with me.

A reflection from Deacon Yvonne:

I received some challenging news recently, and I reacted to it the way I usually do. I panicked. I imagined all of the worst case scenarios, I worried, and my thoughts spiraled. Eventually, I got to a place where I could take a deep breath, and then take another. When I was calmer, I was able to remember that even in the midst of this news, God is with me. That thought brought me so much peace. I thought of my favorite quote from St. Teresa of Avila. I usually remember it as “God never changes”, but the fuller quote is this: “Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing. God is unchanging. Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God: God alone is sufficient.” I truly believe this, and while I wish that in the face of difficult news I could get to this calmer place more quickly, I’m also grateful that I can get there at all.

A reflection from Catherine Obiribea Ofori-Bah:

Lectio Divina at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has been a blessing to me in many ways. An important part of every Christian’s spiritual walk is fellowship. Fellowship with other Christians allows us the opportunity to worship and share the trials and triumphs on our individual journeys to encourage one another. Lectio Divina on Saturday mornings gives me this opportunity; to study God’s Word with others; be revitalized; and be encouraged. It has always created a safe space for me to be vulnerable and honest in sharing my thoughts and experiences concerning my spiritual walk. I have also been able to make amazing friends at Lectio Divina and learn from their journeys as well. My time at Lectio Divina truly exemplifies the bible’s verse “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17), showing the importance of fellowship. I am grateful for Lectio Divina.

A reflection from Ann Pearce:

One Sunday morning when I was about four or five years old, I persuaded my parents to sit in the balcony for church service. This was a rare treat. I looked out over the heads of the congregation listening to the music that came up and greeted me. I may have even paid attention to the sermon perched up in the rafters, but who is to say?

After the service was over, everyone crowded down the narrow staircase, and my excitement turned to anxiety. All I could see were dresses, trousers and purses. I was being moved along with the crowd, and I began to cry. My father, a tall man, heard me, looked around and found me. He reached out and swung me up in his arms. I was safe in my father’s arms.

There are many times in my life that I feel lost and anxious, looking around for my heavenly Father and longing for the safety of His arms. He is always there, and I find comfort in the promise of Psalms 91:4 - “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.”

In Children’s Chapel we are blessed by hearing about all of the ways that the children understand God. In this lesson about Jesus as the Good Shepherd, led by Bethany Bassler and Arika Ryan, the children were asked to write their answers to the question “Who is Jesus to me?”

This is some of what they said:

The maker. Shepherd. He is a caregiver. He is a protector. The provider. He takes care of the sheep.

A reflection from Ellie Lamb:

I was watching the flicker at the suet feeder, and I wondered how those feathers could be placed so precisely to form those perfect black circles on the flicker's chest. Unexpectedly, I found myself thinking that inside that perfectly decorated chest was a heart. A heart that controlled every bodily function of that flicker, enabling it to eat suet and fly. WoW!! That's hard for me to imagine. Then a black capped chickadee flew in. A chickadee 5 times smaller than a flicker------with a heart!! Thank you, God, for all your miracles.